Distracted

Is it just me, or does the whole world seem just a little bit distracted ALL the time? I can't say that all of the advancements in communication that we've made are necessarily a bad thing (i.e. email, cell phones, internet etc.). But I can't help but notice that it's gone a bit too far.

During my recent bicycle adventure I passed not one, not two but three people riding bicycles and talking on their cell phones. And one of these people was riding on a state highway. Now take into account that I only saw 50 or so other cyclists while I was riding for the three days and that makes it just plain ridiculous!

We can all agree that there is such a thing as too much cell phone use. We all know the people, whether they are the teen girls who are texting until their hands don't work any more, the busy businessman who is always talking work while he wanders through the airport or the soccer mom that is driving, talking, putting on her makeup and trying to manage her kids in the back seat at the same time. All of these people scare the bejeebers out of me for at least two reasons.

First, I like to ride my bike. A lot. Which puts me on a lot of roads which I appreciate being able to share and ride without the constant threat of someone plowing into me because they were looking down at their phone. Actually, forget the fact that I worry about that on my bicycle. How about just while I'm in the car, and the car in front of me doesn't start or--even worse--doesn't stop at a traffic signal when they are supposed to because they are too busy paying attention to 17 different conversations all at the same time conveniently brought to them via their omnipotent smartphone.

Some food for thought from research done by Virginia Tech last summer.

CELL PHONE TASK

Risk of Crash or Near Crash event

Light Vehicle/Cars

Dialing Cell Phone

2.8 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Talking/Listening to Cell Phone

1.3 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Reaching for object (i.e. electronic device and other)

1.4 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Heavy Vehicles/Trucks

Dialing Cell phone

5.9 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Talking/Listening to Cell Phone

1.0 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Use/Reach for electronic device

6.7 times as high as non‐distracted driving

Text messaging

23.2 times as high as non‐distracted driving

The second reason, besides the obvious physical danger that people put themselves by being distracted by phones or ipods (lightning, trains, planes) and the like, is simply that you miss too much of life.

It's sad to me to see parents at kids sports games while talking on the phone. Or even walking the dog for that matter. How can you really enjoy the present and the here and now that is all around us when you are plugged into your gadgets nonstop. Unplug before you find out you are missing out on real life because of the constant ring of your phone or the tug of text messages and tweets.

Go outside. Walk the dog. Turn off your phone. Play with your kids. Sit on a bench in the park and just watch people go by (and laugh at them when they walk into a tree because they are texting). Just get away from gadgets for a little while. You'll be happy you did.